After saying this, Chen Zhen said to He Jinshu: "Ah Shu, when I borrowed this book just now, it didn't say that I had to return it within a specified time. So we should be able to use it for a long time. You can use a pencil to write when you learn pinyin and recognize words in the future.
Pencils write quickly and save paper."
He Jinshu nodded and said yes, then asked, "Can this pencil be made?"
"Sure, you want to do it?"
"If it can be made, we can give it a try. These in the box will be used up sooner or later."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhen said, "Then when you have time, look up some information to see how pencils are made."
He Jinshu agreed.
After reading for a while, the two left the library to make dinner.
The next day, He Jinshu went to school, and Chen Zhen tried to make fermented black beans at home. Fermented black beans can be used to make many kinds of dishes.
To make fermented black beans, first boil the soybeans in a pot for one and a half hours, then put straw on a bamboo grate, put a layer of gauze on the straw, then scoop out the cooked soybeans and put them on the gauze, then tie the gauze and put another layer of straw on the gauze.
After the straw is laid, place the bamboo comb in a cool and ventilated place and let the cooked soybeans ferment naturally for 5-7 days.
After the soybeans are fermented, you can take them out, add some white wine, then salt, spices, chili, sand ginger and other seasonings and mix well. Finally, put them in the sun for 3-5 days, and the fermented black beans are ready.
Chen Zhen put the cooked soybeans in a cool and ventilated place and let them ferment naturally. Then he prepared to go out to fetch water and then come back to make lunch.
We used a lot of water to wash the soybeans today, so there is no water in the water tank. We have to find someone to come to our house to dig a well in two days. Chen Zhen thought to himself as he walked outside.
After fetching water, Chen Zhen started cooking.
Because making fermented black beans took some time today, He Jinshu came back before Chen Zhen finished cooking.
Seeing He Jinshu coming back, Chen Chen said while cooking, "There's only one dish left. We can eat soon."
He Jinshu nodded and said yes, then brought the dishes that had been prepared in the kitchen to the table in the main hall.
After Chen Zhen finished stir-frying the last vegetable, the two of them sat down to eat.
While eating, Chen Zhen told He Jinshu that he wanted to dig a well at home.
He Jinshu thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we wait a few days before deciding this? I've been thinking about whether I should go back to the village to study."
"Go back to the village to study? Ah Shu, don't you plan to study in a private school?" Chen Chen asked doubtfully.
He Jinshu nodded and said, "Yes."
The Juren examination in Dongli State was also known as the provincial examination, also called the autumn examination. The content of the examination was divided into three parts: the first part was the interpretation and discussion of classic works, the second part was current affairs and policy questions, and the third part was poetry, songs and articles.
He Jinshu had a pretty good grasp of poetry, songs and essays, and the rest was about current affairs and his understanding of classic works.
He could find answers to current affairs and policy questions in the library. As for his understanding of classic works, that depended on his personal comprehension and memory.
So according to He Jinshu's current situation, he doesn't have to stay in a private school to study. He might as well finish learning the words in the dictionary as soon as possible, and then read more books in the library. The books in the library are more comprehensive and the concepts are more novel. And most importantly, he can find a lot of useful answers for the exams in them.
So he considered not to study in the private school after the house was built, but to go home and study on his own. If he had any questions, he could come to the teacher for answers.
After hearing what He Jinshu said, Chen Zhen asked, "If you don't study in a private school, will you still take the imperial examination next year?"
"I have to take the exam." He Jinshu said affirmatively, "I went home to study on my own, not to stop studying or taking exams."
After hearing this, Chen Zhen said, "Okay, no matter what decision Ah Shu makes, I will support you. If you need any help from me, just tell me and I will definitely find a way to help you."
He Jinshu agreed and picked up some dishes for Chen Chen, asking him to eat more.
Chen Zhen was naturally very happy about this and ate a little more.
Two days later, Chen Chen and He Jinshu returned to the village to treat Grandpa He's leg.
They went back that night and rushed back to town the next morning.
After returning to the town, two days later, the soybeans made by Chen Zhen were fermented, so he took out the soybeans, added various seasonings, mixed them well, and put them in the sun to dry.
It is almost July now, and Linshe County is located in the southernmost part of Dongli State. June to September are the hottest months of the year, so the fermented black beans only need to be dried for three days.
After the fermented black beans were dried, Chen Zhen immediately made a sumptuous meal with them.
Steamed pork ribs with fermented black beans, spicy fish with fermented black beans, stir-fried pork belly with fermented black beans, and finally an egg drop soup, and today's lunch is ready.
As soon as He Jinshu entered the house, he asked, "What did you cook today? Why does it smell so good?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chen said with a bit of pride: "Ashu, come and try the dishes I made today to see if they are delicious."
He Jinshu looked at the black particles on the plate and asked, "Is this the fermented black beans you mentioned earlier?"
"Yes, this dish is very delicious." Chen Chen picked up a piece of fish and gave it to He Jinshu, then picked up some of the other two dishes and put them in his bowl.
He Jinshu first tasted the fermented black beans on the dish, which tasted a bit salty. Then he tasted the spare ribs and found that they did taste a bit different from what he usually ate, with a unique fragrance.
So he nodded and said, "This rib tastes good."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chen said, "I'll make you a spicy black bean sauce this afternoon. It goes really well with rice, and I'm sure you'll like it."
After hearing this, He Jinshu agreed while picking up some dishes to eat. He felt that today's dishes were all very delicious.
After finishing the meal, He Jinshu said to Chen Chen, "Can you make more fermented black bean sauce this afternoon? I'll send some to the teacher tomorrow."
"Okay, no problem." Chen Chen nodded.
In the afternoon, after He Jinshu went to the private school, Chen Zhen prepared to go out to buy some chili peppers so that he could make fermented black bean sauce later.
Every household here grows red chili peppers, and some people sell them on the street, and they are not expensive, so Chen Zhen doesn't plan to go home to get them. He can just buy some on the street.
After buying the peppers, Shen Chen started making chili sauce. He decided to use half of the fermented black beans to make fermented black bean chili sauce, keep some for himself, and give some to Shen's mother and He Jinshu's teacher.
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